2007-11-08

Sleep Problems

For the past few years I have not had very good "sleep hygiene". I have tended to go to bed after midnight and then complain and groan when it is time to get up. Sometimes, when I have the chance, I have an afternoon nap that goes too long.

In the last few weeks, however, I have been trying to improve my sleep hygiene by going to bed earlier and avoid naps. I did this after a conversation with Dave and so I have been making a concerted effort to get to bed earlier.

But three times in the last week, including this morning, I have slept for seven-eight hours and woken up feeling as though I had been run over by a train. I actually feel as though I have slept for only 4 hours even though I know it has been nearly double that.

My wife has also complained that I have been snoring far worse than normal, so I'm worried that I might be developing some sort of Sleep Apnea. This has occurred around the same time as a mild cold, but in the past even severe colds have never wrecked me like this.

One possible solution is for me to start drinking Kava again. Kava opened up my airways and nostrils but, since John Howard identified Kava as evil, it can no longer be imported (except for cultural and medicinal purposes, the latter, though, may take me a while to achieve) which means that I have enough for about 5 draughts and that's it. In the past I have used a decongestant nasal spray before bed but using it over the long term is bad for you (not that I stopped using it though).

RE: snoring -- have you tried those keep-your-nasal-passages-open strips? They seem to work very well. My mom is a chronic snorer, sounds like a bear sleeping on her back, but only like a small cat with adenoids when she's on her side. I don't snore, except on my back -- something to do with how the palate falls back or something??

Also, one thing I've found is that I sleep better when I've exercised and eaten well for a few days.

Speaking from my own experience or my wife's, the following has proven helpful:

1) 3 mg of Melatonin/night. Wife swears by this, no effect on me. Evidently melatonin is supposed to aid seratonin uptake or something.2) New pillow.3) Lose weight, particularly through exercise.4) Adjustable bed. Takes pressure off back. Highly recommended.5) I have not found the breathing strips to do one bit of good for me, but the wife had nasal surgery to widen her abnormally narrow nasal passages and says it is the best thing she could have done.6) glass of wine before bed. Helps.